Does It Ever Get Easier?

Early in a quit it’s very easy to be overwhelmed.  What you put your body through when you quit is nothing short of torture… I know, I’ve been there and it damn near killed me.  I was reading through some of the newer groups on the community tonight and it brought back quite a few memories.

• Tingling Jaw – this sucked but stuck around for quite a few weeks.  Felt like it was literally going to crawl off my head.
• Sleep – yeah… there was none of that.  My skin felt like I had the “creepy crawlies” all over.
• Sores – my mouth was more messed up after I quit than it ever was when I was a dipper.  This naturally scared the hell out of me.
• Anxiety – I took myself to the ER twice during my quit cause I thought I was having a heart attack.  Turned out it was “just” anxiety do to my quit.  This shit’s real folks…
• Etc.

Looking back at a list like this I remember just how helpless I felt.  I thought that I’d never feel “better”.  But as I sit here tonight, I can tell you that I really never think about that stuff anymore (unless I’m feeling reflective).  I haven’t had a crave in years.  I rarely even think about tobacco and even when I’m confronted with it (at the bar, on the golf course, etc.) it’s nothing more than a passing glance.

I can still pick out the smell of a dipper as they walk past me in a mall or Home Depot.  The whiff of Kodiak will probably never be gone completely, but it no longer bothers me and no longer has me salivating.  I’m nearly 4 years into my quit now and I’m so damn proud of it I can’t even tell you.

I’m not writing this post to toot my own horn… I’m writing it to answer a question that is asked by just about every quitter than ever sets out on this journey.

“Does it ever get easier?”

I’ve finally got an answer to this question.

“Absolutely… YES. ”

I hope this can help those of you that are feeling a bit helpless. ~ Chewie